Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Cask conditioned at the 32nd Cambridge Beer Festival, gravity dispense. Golden colour, moderate natural carbonation. Lovely INTENSE hoppy aroma - fruits (citrus), honey, flowers. Flavour is extremely pleasant and well balanced with a citrussy hoppiness throughout. One of the best session beers I’ve had.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle condtioned, 500 ml. Bottle No. 001880. Pours with a large, thick and lasting beige head. Beautiful copper colour, transparent, no sediment in bottle. Delightful sweet aroma - Christmas spices, caramel, brown sugar, oak, fruits (sultanas, plums), sherry. Flavour is malty and spicy with some brown sugar notes, but not too sweet. A substantial hoppy bitterness from start to finish. Very good!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

At last - the elusive London Porter is mine! 500 ml bottle, bought in Denmark. Very dark reddish brown colour, large tan head. Aroma is first and foremost dark chocolate, but also rye bread, leather and oak. Flavour is again chocolate on a nice roasty background, decent hops linger in the aftertaste. Clearly a first class beer - I’m sure it’s even better cask conditioned

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle, vintage 1990, RBESG 2005 Grand Tasting. Intensely vinous oak and sherry aroma. Flavour is also intensely oaky and old sherry-like, incredible alcoholic punch, very sweet. Mature flavour, but no sign of it being oxidised. Will probably be good for another 15 years (at least).

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle, at Den Tatoverede Enke, Copenhagen. Incredibly intense farmhouse aroma combined with an equally intense sour fruitiness. Intensely sour gueuze flavour, lemony as hell. Funky and lemony aftertaste.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle, at Den Tatoverede Enke, Copenhagen. Brown colour. Vinous and oaky aroma and flavour of old dry sherry, even cognac / armagnac. A top notch beer!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

440 ml can, at Cardinal, Stavanger. ABV is 6.6%. Opaque pale yellow colour, moderate white head. Lovely aroma of mango, passionfruit, cantaloupe melons and other tropical fruits, also citrus fruits. The flavour is not too sweet, but has distinct notes of said fruits. Low bitterness. A well balanced and delightful beer!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Shared bottle. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee, liquorice, oak and old brandy. The flavour has the same elements as the aroma. Very good beer.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Bottle, kindly shared by gunnar. ABV 11.5%. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Nice roasty aroma, notes of coffee and cocoa, hints of leather. Fairly sweet and malty flavour, strong roasty coffee and cocoa notes. Lovely! Has "much of everything", but is not too extreme. Well balanced.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Shared bottle at local tasting. Bottle No. 49 out of 374 made. 10.4% ABV, 98 IBU. Pitch black colour, large to moderate tan head. Lovely aroma of bourbon cask, vanilla, coffee and chocolate. Excellent flavour, same elements as the aroma, but even more harmonious and well balanced.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

Shared bottle at local tasting, bought at Systembolaget, Sweden. Pitch black colour, moderate brown head. Lovely aroma, Belgian yeast and strong roasty notes, dark chocolate, coffee and vanilla. Roasty flavour, medium sweet, the same elements as in the aroma. Excellent beer.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 10 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

750 ml corked "ghost bottle", at an exclusive tasting with Garrett Oliver. Deep golden colour, moderate white head. Wonderful vinous and complex aroma, spicy, notes of tobacco. Excellent complex flavour, spicy notes. I hope this beer will be made widely available.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

500 ml bottle, will soon be available at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 10%. Pitch black colour, large brown head. Mildly roasty, nutty and malty aroma, hints of honey and chocolate. Smooth and rich flavour with loads of malty sweetness, but not cloying. Roasty notes / mild coffee, also notes of chocolate, honey and nuts. Decent hops in the finish and aftertaste, which also has faint notes of peat smoke. Excellent beer!

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml porter, from Ales By Mail. ABV is 7.8%. Black colour, creamy and lasting tan head. Aroma and flavour of roast malts, dark chocolate, coffee and citric hops. Well balanced, good beer.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

355 ml bottle in cardboard box, vintage 2017, from Vinmonopolet Kvadrat. ABV is 8.5%. Black colour, large tan head. Aroma of roast malts, chocolate, bourbon, vanilla and oak. Smooth flavour with the same elements, not too sweet, moderate hops. A very enjoyable beer.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 61520. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big to moderate and creamy tan head. The whisky oak cask with peaty smoke and notes of tar comes through in the aroma, followed by notes of roastiness (roast malts, coffee) and chocolate. The aroma is more mellow and subdued than the 12 y.o., but still nice. The flavour has also here loads of rich malty sweetness, immediately followed by distinct notes of peaty smoke - it is again quite amazing what impact the whisky cask has. Dark chocolate in the middle. The finish has a firm bitterness from the hops and burnt malts, while the peaty smoke lasts through the long aftertaste. A truly impressive beer, but if you don’t like scotch whisky at all, this might not be the beer for you. Not easy drinking (somewhat smoother than the 12 y.o., though), but a great sipping beer, and a real treat for any lover of peatiness.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

330 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Bottle No. 12610. ABV is 8.0%. Pitch black colour, big tan head. The aroma of the 18 is less distinct than the 12 and 16, notes of sweet malts, almonds, brown sugar and oak, with a moderate roastiness, notes of chocolate and mild coffee. The flavour is excellent, distinct notes of whisky oak cask, peaty smoke, hints of tar, also roasted notes of coffee, liquorice and dark bitter chocolate. Well rounded, with just the right sweetness and a pleasant bitterness in the finish. Yummy!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

355 ml can, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 9.5%. Pitch black colour, moderate chocolate brown head. Nice aroma of roasted malts / roasted barley, chocolate, coffee and bakery. Intense flavour of malts (malty sweetness + heavily roasted malts/barley), notes of strong coffee, molasses and dark bitter chocolate, ending in a distinct bitterness (both from the hops - 98 IBU - and the roastiness). Possibly the most awesome canned beer in the world.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

1 pt. 6 fl. oz. bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. ABV is 5.9%. Black colour, moderate beige head. Interesting aroma of roasted and smoked malts, blending seamlessly together with notes of chocolate, hints of dark fruits. The flavour is first fruity, then chocolatey and smoky, but the smoke is not overdone. Some hoppy and roasty bitterness in the finish. This is an excellent and well balanced beer!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

330 ml bottle, bought at Voldby Købmandsgård, Denmark. ABV is 8%. Cloudy dark brown colour, huge and lasting beige head. Aroma of wood, dark fruits and spices, hints of leather. Outstanding flavour with oaky and vinous notes, also notes of dark candi sugar and dark dried fruits. Fairly sweet, moderate hops in the finish. Expensive, but worth it.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

375 ml clear and corked slimline bottle, vintage 2018, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken, as usual at an outrageous price. ABV is 9.5%. Beautiful cognac colour, no carbonation. Pleasant aroma of concentrated apple juice and oak. Sweet flavour, concentrated apple juice / cider and oak again, delicious.

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

750 ml corked & caged bottle, from Vinmonopolet, Nettbutikken. ABV is 10.5%. Clear reddish brown colour, huge off-white head. Lovely aroma of malts, brown sugar, caramel, dark dried fruits, oak and whisky. Pleasant and medium sweet flavour with the same elements as the aroma, moderate hops.

Aroma: 8 | Appearance: 8 | Mouthfeel: 10 | Flavor: 10 | Overall: 9

May 2015: On tap at Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Pitch black colour, low tan head. Aroma first of fusel alcohols, then molasses, rum oak cask, vanilla, coconut, chocolate and roast malts. Rich and warming mouthfeel. Outstanding flavour, medium sweet and roasty, no sign of fusel, otherwise all the delicious notes from the aroma are repeated and strengthened here. Nice chili heat in the finish. Perfect!

Aroma: 9 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 9 | Overall: 9

500 ml bottle, bought in Scarborough. ABV is 6.5%. Black coloured beer, ruby in the highlights. Large to moderate tan head. Pleasant roasty and vinous aroma with notes of chocolate, coffee and claret. Full and rich moutheel. The flavour abounds with chocolate, also coffee and roasted barley. Excellent beer.

Aroma: 10 | Appearance: 9 | Mouthfeel: 9 | Flavor: 8 | Overall: 9

500 ml bottle, courtesy of Cardinal Pub & Bar, Stavanger. Brewed 15.2.2007, BB date 15.2.2009. ABV is 7.5%. Black beer, huge chocolate brown coloured head. Lovely aroma of coffee, chocolate and roasted malts / roasted barley. Also notes of woodwork, tobacco and tar. The flavour abounds with coffee (maybe too much?), the finish is very bitter (both from the coffee that has been added to the beer, the roasted barley and the hops). The mouthfeel is still relatively smooth. With all the dominant coffee and bitterness, this is not a stout of the "easy drinking" kind, but a beer to savour and sip slowly, be it for breakfast or any time of the day or night.